What is it about the words we speak that convey concepts, nuances, ideas and sometimes even start wars? Where do they come from, what is their history and how do they shape our minds and ability to communicate? These are just some of the questions we asked Professor John McWhorter, author of “Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue,” when we spoke with him from his home in New Jersey on December 1, 2008.

The book Professor McWhorter recommends is “Ziegfeld: The Man Who Invented Show Business,” by Ethan Morddenn.